The annual Japanese Film Festival kicks off this weekend in Pretoria. The festival is aimed at promoting an understanding of various aspects of Japan, among South Africans. This year’s festival is being held in appreciation for the support and encouragement received from the people of South Africa in the aftermath of the great, east Japan earthquake and tsunami of March 11.
Tickets are free and available at the box office one hour before the films starts. The films which will be screened are:
Summer Days with Coo: an animation telling the story of a fourth grade student living in the suburb of Tokyo. He finds a baby kappa (a mythical amphibian creature) and adopts him as a pet, but Coo starts to draw the popular attention of the city. This film was judged best animated film at the 31st Japan Academy Awards in 2008.
(Sunday at 2.30pm)
Castle Under Fiery Skies: Set in 1575 feudal Japan, the film interrogates the attempts of Lord Nobunagas to unite the country behind the building of Azuchi Castle – three storeys high and high enough to be seen from Kyoto – as a symbol of peace.
(Saturday at 5pm)
Climbers High: When a plane carrrying more than 500 passengers crashes into Mount Takamagahara, a reporter assigned to cover the accident struggles to stay on top of the story and offers definitive coverage of the disaster as print and broadcast outfits descend from around the world on the crash site.
(Sunday at 5pm)
Happy Flight: Comedy and suspense take turns in this crowd-pleaser which sees a flight team struggle to get their flight off the ground, only to be faced by the possibility of a hurricane.
(Saturday at 2.30pm)
Tokyo Tower: A woman who struggled to raise her son and provide him with an education, goes to live with him when she becomes ill with cancer, reversing their roles. Best Movie at the Japan Academy Awards in 2008.
(Saturday at 8pm)
lThe Japanese Film Festival takes place at Brooklyn Nouveau on Saturday and Sunday.